Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who was campaigning in Missouri one day after losing primary battles in Alabama and Mississippi to former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, said, “I’m not plugged in well enough this year to do that.”

So how does this play out politically? In the past, Romney has been accused of lacking a common touch. So while admitting that he doesn’t keep up with college basketball might be truthful, would it have really killed him to mention that he might be pulling for his alma mater, Brigham Young University?

I’m not going to pretend that a moment like this one is a make-or-break moment for any candidate. But I do think it’s obvious that there was an opportunity for Romney to score a point here, and give voters the impression that sometimes he can be a regular guy too.

Eric McErlain blogs at Off Wing Opinion, a Forbes “Best of the Web” winner. In 2006 he wrote a “bloggers bill of rights” to help integrate bloggers into the Washington Capitals’ press box. Eric has also written for Deadspin, NBC Sports and the Sporting News, and covers sports television for The TV News. Follow Eric on Twitter.